Georgia police officer fatally shot, two deputies wounded

By Ralph Ellis, CNN

(CNN) -- A Georgia police officer was killed and two sheriff's deputies were wounded Friday while trying to arrest a man, authorities said.

The shooting occurred in Locust Grove, a small town about 35 miles south of Atlanta, when the two Henry County deputies went to a residence to serve a warrant on a man for failure to appear in Locust Grove Municipal Court, Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer said at a news conference.

"They talked with the individual and after about 10 minutes of talking with him realized they were going to be making an arrest and they were going to have issues placing him in custody," the sheriff said. "It was obvious the individual was not going to go."

The deputies called for backup and a Locust Grove police officer arrived.

While trying to make the arrest, an altercation occurred during which the three officers and the suspect were all shot, McBrayer said. The suspect, who was not immediately identified, died, he said. McBrayer did not say who opened fire.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the slain officer as Locust Grove Officer Chase Maddox. The wounded officers were identified as Michael D. Corley and Ralph Sidwell Callaway.

One deputy was in serious condition and underwent surgery at Atlanta Medical Center and the second deputy was in fair condition in the same hospital, McBrayer said. CNN was not immediately able to determine which deputy was in serious condition.

The slain officer had about five years of experience, McBrayer said. McBrayer said one deputy had more than 20 years of experience and the second officer was a reserve deputy with "vast" law experience.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation.

Eight other law enforcement officers have died of gunfire this year, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

On Wednesday, David Sherrard of the Richardson, Texas, police was killed while responding to a shots fired call at an apartment complex. A suspect is in custody.

On Monday, Micah Flick of the sheriff's office in El Paso County, Colorado, was killed while investigating a vehicle theft. Three other law enforcement officers were shot and injured during a struggle with the suspect in Colorado Springs, authorities say. The suspect was killed.

Flick was the third officer killed in Colorado since the beginning of the year.

The-CNN-Wire

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